Machine for making wire strands, ropes, and cables



Nov. 18, 1930. E. A. CONNER MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE STRANDS, RQPES, AND CABLES Original Filed Jan. 12, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1930.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE STRANDS ROPES, AND CABLES Original Filed Jan. 12, 1927 E. A. CONNER 3 Sheets-Sheet *a N a I NI INI w 0 I :L j is II N Z I E w I IN I N R up 2 3 Q l I I I: i \I I I I 9 \2 In I! I I I I: I II I I I I I I I I I I II I I II I II I I I I I II o I 1* II w IIJJ onomtoz a Nov. 18, 1930. E. A. CONNER 1,781,394

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE STRANDS, ROPES, AND CABLES Original Filed Jan. 12, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 3110mm EDWfl/PD A. CON/WEE WWW Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD A. CONNEB, 0] STRANDED, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR 'lO AMERICAN CABLE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE STRANDS, ROPES, AND CABLES Application filed January 12, 1927, Serial No. 160,57i. Renewed February 11, 1980.

This invention relates to the manufacture of wire strand, rope or cable, and more particularly to the formation of an article of this class in which a helical conformation is imparted to the several components preparatory to laying the components in the strand, rope or cable, so that the article produced will have inert la characteristics, 1. e., will be free from ten ency to se aration of the components when the stran rope or cable is cut, and will also be free from tendency to kink, the components of such an inert lay article preserving throughout the life of the article a compact formation which increases its workin life and insures the desirable qualities 0 flexibility and smooth runnin when in operation upon the drums or groove pulleys conventionally employed in connection with elevators and in other installations where power is to be transmitted by the strand, rope or cable.

For the sake of brevity in description, the product will be hereinafter referred to as strand but it is to be understood that this expression is used inclusively to designate not only strand in the technical sense of an article composed of several wires, but also to designate a rope com osed of several strands or a cable compose of several ropes each having a plurality of. component strands.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved process of imparting to the strand components a helical con formation preparatory to laying them to constitute the complete stran rope or cable, by subjecting the components to the action of dies or preformin devices which are given a rotary movement or the purpose of forming the components helically, the rotative movement of the dies also serving referably to feed the components several y with a rotative movement around the axes of the helices thus formed, and preferably also acting to lay the helical components slmultaneously in proper relative position to form the completed strand, rope or cable hav1ng the inert la characteristics to which reference has a ready been made.

Another object of the inventlon is to provide a machine organized to carry the aforesaid process into effect and adapted to form continuouslly inert lay strand, rope or cable automatica y and economically for commercial use.

These and other objects of the invention are illustrated and described fully in the accompanying drawings and specification and are pointed out in the claims, with particular reference to a now preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a viewin side elevation of a paratus adapted to carry the rocess into e ect.

Fig. 2 1s a detail view 1n vertical, longitudinal section, on an enlar ed scale, of part of the apparatus shown in ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in side elevation, partly in section, of one of the preforming dies, with associated parts.

F g. 5 is a similar view of one of the dies showing also wire preformed thereby.

Figs. 6 and 7 show modifications of the preforming devices.

In the embodiment illustrated, the apparatus comprises a reforming head, desi nated enerally by t 1e reference character which imparts the desired helical conformation to strand components 1,-derived from supply reels 2 and 2, carried by a rotatable frame which is desi ated generally by the reference character the preformlng head delivering the helically formed components to a closing die C from which the completed strand, rope or cable P proceeds to a drawingofi' unit D.

In the instance selected for illustration and description, six of the components 1 are being preformed simultaneously and laid about a core 3 which is derived from a suitable supply, not shown, the core being led through a ollow rotatable spindle 4, upon which are mounted the frame B of supply reels and the preforming head A, so that the head and name rotate with the spindle, the latter being journalled in suitab e bearing standards 5 and 6 extending from a base 7, suitable change-speed gearing being provided, as in- In pursuance of the invention, the pre-.

forming head A is provided with a series of preforming devices 10 each adapted to operate upon a strand component 1, and these devices are desirably mounted in spaced irelation around the main axis of the apparatus, represented by the core 3, and are a apted to be rotated individually each about its own axis, while each revolves about the core 3. Any suitable structure may be provided to effect these movements of rotation and revolution, and as a convenient form of construction for this purpose, a hollow extension shaft 11 is shown, connected at 12 with the spindle 4 so as to rotate therewith, and having a collar 13 secured to the spindle by a set screw 14, and furnished with a flange 15, of frusto-conical shape, in which are bearings to receive a series of sleeves 16, one for each of the preforming devices 10 (see Figs. 2 and 4).

To provide for rotation of the devices 10, each about its own axis, the sleeves 16 are connected by universal joints 17 with short shafts 18 mounted in bearings 19 carried by a plate 20 secured rem'ovabl as b screws 21, to the face of a hub 22 w ich is eyed at 23 to the spindle 4 and is rotated thereby. This hub is recessed at 24 to receive spurgears 25, keyed at 26 to the short shafts 18, and these gears mesh with pinions 27 upon shafts 28 also mounted in bearings at 29 in the hub between the spur gears 25, and the shafts 28 are furnished with gears 30 adapted to mesh with an interior ring gear 31, the latter being supported b a rin 32, mounted on the standard 6, ing he d in place by brackets 34 through which extend set-screws 35. Other set-screws 33 serve to prevent accidental displacement of the ring gear 31 from its supporting ring 32 when removed from the supporting standard, but permit removal of the ring gear readily when it is desired to inspect the hub or change the gears.

By providing a ring gear 31 and spur gears 30 of proper ratio, any desired speed of rotation of the devices 10 relatively to their speed of revolution about the spindle 4 may be provided for, and it will be understood readily from the above description that when the spindle 4 rotates, the gears 30 track or run around within the fixed ring 31, turning the shafts 28 and pinions 27 which act to turn the spur gears 25, shafts 18, universal joints 17 and preforming devices 10, in unison.

The preforming devices 10 may be of any construction suitable to effect the desirable helical conformation of the strand components 1, and in the instance illustrated the devices 10 are constituted as dies having helical peripheral grooves 40 closed by the inner walls 36 of the sleeves 16, the latter serving to confine the strand components 1, so that asthe sleeves 16 and dies 10 are rotated, the

co-operate to form the strand components helicall and at the same time to feed the same orward into position to lay them around the core 3 in proper relative position to constitute the finished product P. The helical conformation. of the components is indicated at 41 in Fig. 5, at the region where they emerge from the preforming devices, the latter having heads 37 (see Fig. 4) adapted to assist in turning out the components after they have been thus preformed helically. The preforming devices 10 are preferably disposed diagonallytoward the core 3, and arranged as closely as possible in j uxtaposition thereto, so as to deliver the helical components in close relation to each other adjacent to the closing die C.

After passing through the closin die the finished product P may be drawn 0 and accumulated upon any suitable reel, not shown, the drawing ofi' mechanism illustrated comprising a pair of drums 38 around each of which the product P may be given one or more turns, the drums being preferably connected by a belt 39, one of the drums being driven by a shaft 42 geared at 43 to the lay shaft 9, so that the drawing off mechanism has its speed co-ordinated with the speed of formation of the product P.

As already indicated, briefly, the supply unit B may be of any suitable construction to serve for supplying the individual strand components to the preforming devices and as a convenient form of construction for this purpose I have shown a supply frame of the character illustrated and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,518,253 to which reference may be had for a complete description it being sufficient to note that the frame has a rotatable end 44 with a sleeve bearin 45 mounted within the standard 6 (see Fig. 2), surrounding the hollow shaft 4 and keyed thereto at 46, and preferably having a plate 47 secured by screws 48 in such a manner as 'to hold the sleeve 45 against longitudinal movement.

The frame has arms 49 provided at their ends with rollers 50 running in a circular track 51 which aids to sustain the strains resulting from centrifugal force upon the arms 49, and each arm is provided with suitable pulleys 52 over which the strand components 1 are led respectively from the supply reels 2, the latter eing mounted co-axially upon the s indle 4. Reels like those shown at 2 may utilized as reserve reels being placed upon the spindle between each main su ply reels 2, in the manner described in my a oresaid Letters Patent, and in order to remove and replace the reels, the spindle 4 may be removed from the bearing stand two of the ard 6 sufliciently in a lengthwise direction, to permit one or more of the reels to be slipped ofi the spindle 4. A collar 53 with set screw 54 may be provided to hold the reels in their normal position as illustrated.

In operation, after full supply reels 2 have been laced upon the spindle 4, with or without t e reserve reels 2, and the strand components 1 have been led over the pulleys 52, and through the apertures 55 of the preforming head, thence through the peripheral grooves 40 in the preforming dies and into the closing die C, the machine is started, and the rotative action of the. dies 10 upon the strand components forms them individually in a helical manner and at the same time causes rotation of the helical components thus formed and their advance into position to be laid in the finished product P, the revolution of the head completing the laying operation, and the closin die C insuring uniformity of the pr not, the latter being drawn off by the mechanism D already described.

It is to be observed as already noted that any desired and suitable ratio between. the number of turns in the revolution of the head A and the simultaneous number of rotative turns of each of the preforming devices 10 may be secured by provision of gears 30 and a ring gear 31 havin the necessary relative numbers of teeth. n important object of providing for such changes of gearing is to provide desirable means for compensating or the differing elastic co-efiicient existing in the high carbon steel wires which constitute ordinaril the strand components, in modern usage, it being found desirable in practice to cause the pre orming devices 10 to rotate in a forward direction as they revolve and extrude the helical components. By this provision a slight excess of set is imparted to each helical component over that required to form a helix of given radius and thus is avoided any tendency on the part of the respective helical components to separate after having been laid in'the strand, rope or cable.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown modifications of the preforming devices, which may be used in a planetary head in lace of the formation of preforming device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

The modification shown in Fig. 6 comprises a frame 64 having a shank 65 corresponding to the shank 18 or short shaft of the device illustrated in Fig. 4, the frame being provided with two sets of rolls 62 and 63 respectively between which the wire 1 to be preformed is extended after passing through the whole shaft 65. The wire is then subjected to the action of a roll 67 mounted in a fork 68 carried by an adjustable screw 69 extendin from a lug 70 upon the forward end of t e frame, and when the frame is rotated by the action of the planetary gearing hereinbefore described, a helical formation is imparted to the wire 71, it being understood that the same structure is adapted to operate upon wire strand or rope as well as upon individual wires.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, a frame 58 is mounted upon a short shaft 59 adapted for use in place of the short shaft 18 shown in Fig. 4, and a wire 61 is led through a set of rolls 56 mounted as shown in Fig. 7, the wire passing under the first and third of the series and over the intervening roll in the manner shown in Fig. 7. The wire when it issues from the forward end of the device shown in Fig.7 has the helical formation of the wire shown at 41 in Fig. 5. This modification also may be used for preforming wire strand or rope in the place of the preforming device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

Certain of the features herein disclosed form the subject-matter of my divisional application Ser. No. 239,186, filed December 10, 1927, and the right to prosecution of subject-matter not claimed herein is expressly reserved.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making wire strand, rope or cable, a preforming head comprising a central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a plurality of preforming devices mounted for individual rotation in bearings spaced around the axis of said central shaft, and a hub on said central shaft having planetary gearing adapted to rotate said preforming devices individually.

2. In a machine for making wire strand, rope or cable, a "reforming head comprising a central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a plurality of preforming devices mounted for individual rotation in bearings spaced around the axis.

of said central shaft, and a hub on said .central shaft having planetary gearing adapted to rotate said preforming devices individually, gearing adapted to drive said planetary gearing, a support for said central shaft and said drive gearing and means to cause relative rotation between said central shaftand drive gearing.

3. In a machine for making wire strand, rope or cable, a preforming head comprising a. central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a plurality of preforming dies mounted for individual rotation in bearings spaced around the axis of said central shaft, a hub on said central shaft having planetary gearing adapted to rotate said preforming dies individually, a ring gear adapted to actuate said planetary gearing, a support for said central shaft and said ring gear, and means to cause relative rotation between said central shaft and ring gear.

4. In a machine for making wire strand, rope or cable, a preforming head comprising a central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a plurality of preforming dies mounted for individual rotation in bearings'spaced around the axis of said central shaft, a hub on said central shaft having planetary gearing adapted to rotate said preforming dies individually, a ring gear adapted to actuate said planetary gearing, a support for said central shaft and said ring gear, and means to rotate said central shaft relatively to said rin gear.

v5. In a machine for ma ing wire strand, rooe or cable, a preforming head comprising a central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a plurality of preforming dies mounted for individual r0 tation in bearings spaced around the axis of said central shaft, a hub on said central shaft having planetary gearing adapted to rotate said preforming dies individually, a ring gear adapted to actuate said planetary gearmg, a support for said central shaft and said ring gear, and means to cause relative rotation between said central shaft'and ring gear, means to support said dies in converging position, and connections between said dies and planetary gearing. v

6. In. a machine for making wire strand, rope or cable, a preforming head comprising a central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a plurality of preforming dies mounted for individual rotation in bearings spaced around the axis of said central shaft, a hub on said central shaft having planetary earing adapted to rotate said preforming dies individually, a ring gear adapted to actuate said planetary gearing, a support for said central shaft and said ring gear, and means to cause relative rotation between said central shaft and ring 7 gear, means to support said dies in convergsaid central shaft a ub having planetary gearing adapted to rotate ing position, and connections between said (lies and planetary gearing, said connections comprising a series of pinion-shafts actuated by said series of planetary gears, and a series of shafts provided with universal joints connected operatively with said converging dies and having gears operated by said pinionshafts.

7. In a machine for making wire strand, rope or cable, a preforming head comprising a central shaft having a member rotatable therewith and furnished with a lurahty of preforming dies mounted for in ividualrotation in bearings s aced around the axis ofon said central shaft said preforming dies individuall a ring gear adapted to actuate said plane ry gearing, a support for said central shaft and said ring gear, and means to cause relative rotation between said central shaft and ring gear, said means comprising a rotatable snmdle provided with supply reels for the strand components, and havin a connection with said central shaft permittmg ready removal of said preforming head. 

